Workers needed as busy season looms for Port Arthur Historic site

PORT Arthur Historic Site has 40 seasonal jobs up for grabs as it gets ready for the tourist season which it says is getting busier and running for longer.

The Arthur Historic Site is getting ready for the tourist season which it says is getting busier and running for longer as more people pick Tasmania as their destination of choice. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

PORT Arthur Historic Site has 40 seasonal jobs up for grabs as it gets ready for the tourist season which it says is getting busier and running for longer as more travellers pick Tasmania as their destination of choice.

The tourist attraction is about to undertake its annual recruitment of workers with most needed in the visitor services centre to work front of house, in food and beverage duties and in the kitchen.

“The tourist season is coming on earlier and lasting longer,” Port Arthur Historic Site human resources officer Kelly Proposch said.

“We recruit for the September through to April season on a fixed term employment register.

“Most of the positions are casual positions but some become part-time and even full-time as permanent staff turnover.”

Most of the applicants are young and on holidays from school or university. Some apply season after season.

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Thirty-two people completed applications last year and Mr Proposch hopes even more will apply for work this summer.

“So far we have 16 applications and will hold our first recruitment day this week. My message to those looking for a position is to get your paperwork in and be available and, more than likely, you will get a start,” he said.

Other tourism operators across the state are also hunting for workers in the leadup to the busy summer tourism season.

Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said tourism operators, particularly in regional areas, were looking for kitchen staff, cleaners, front of house staff and garden services and maintenance crews.

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“There are also a lot of wineries looking for cellar door staff,” Mr Martin said.

“Most of the jobs are casual positions. The challenge for the tourism industry is to get employers to put more of these staff on fullt-ime rather than having to recruit new workers every season.”

A recent Tourism Info Monitor quarterly survey found 73 per cent of travelling Australians found a Tasmanian holiday appealing and the love affair with Tasmania was growing.

Around 33 per cent of Australians said they were considering visiting Tasmania in the next two to three years, and 18 per cent were considering a getaway in the next year.

Tasmania is now ranked second to Queensland as the best destination.

The Port Arthur jobs are part of News Corp’s 5000 jobs in 50 days campaign which aims to get Tasmanians struggling to get their first job into work.

Do you have a job for a young, inexperienced jobseeker? Or are you a first-time jobseeker? Email [e-mail] and register your position in the reply email.

Originally published as Workers needed as busy season looms for Port Arthur Historic site